The second hearing of the trial against human rights defenders detained during a workshop in Büyükada continud on November 22, 2017 at Istanbul 35. Assize Court. A special delegation comprised of members of Amnesty International, diplomats, international and local press as well as NGO representatives were present at the hearing. Supporters of the human rights defenders demand the release of Amnesty International Turkey Chair Taner Kılıç, who is currently imprisoned in İzmir.
The hearing started with Kılıç giving his defense statement over the video system. Kılıç responded to the claims one by one, stressing that his and others' activities strictly fall under human rights activism and is routine for CSOs. Kılıç's attorneys repeated that the allegations of ByLock use are ungrounded. Following Kılıç's defense, Nejat Taştan and Şeyhmus Özbekli gave their defense statements, refuting the accusations on the indictment.
Forensic IT expert Koray Peksayar presented his export report on the allegations of ByLock use for Taner Kılıç. His report asserts that there is no trace of ByLock app in his phone. While th prosecutor demanded the continuation of imprisonment, attorneys gave defense statements for each human rights defender and demanding acquittal and bail conditions to be lifted. Şeyhmus Özbekli's attorney Ahmet Özmen stated that he would like to defend his client but there are no accusations directed at him in the indictment. Taner Kılıç's attorneys demanded his immediate release, as Kılıç has been in prison for almost 6 months. Kılıç protested the prison conditions, saying that he has been staying in a cell meant for 8 people with 23 other inmates, waiting for the police report on the case.
The court decided on the continuation of Taner Kılıç's imprisonment and lifted the judicial control and travel bans of the remaining defendants. The next hearing is to take place onJanuary 31.